Inking mechanism



April 28, 1931. E. F. DUDLEY INKING MECHANISM Filed July 11. 1929Patented Apr. 28, 1931 PATENT FFIE EDWARD F. DUDLEY, F OAK PARK,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MIEHLE PRINTING PRESS & MANUFACTURING 00., OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS INKING MECHANISMApplication filed July 11, 1929. Serial No. 377,395.

This invention relates to inking mechanism for printing presses and thelike machinery where an evenly distributed film of ink has to be appliedto the type matter or printing plate from which impressions are to betaken.

The invention relates particularly to that type of inking mechanismcovered in the copending U. S. patent application, Serial No.

285,258 where a metal drumof a comparatively large diameter is used asan ink distributing means in place of an ink distributing table such asare commonly known in the art.

One of the principal problems in the art of printing, is that ofobtaining proper ink dis tribution, especially where quality work isrequired. In order to secure satisfactory results, it is essential toapply an exceedingly evenly distributed film of ink to the form of thepress.

The primary object of my invention, therefore, is to provide an improvedinking mechanism, whereby an extremely efiicient distribution of theprinting ink is made possible.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inking mechanismcomprising an ink distributing unit, the cooperating parts of whichconstantly rotate in given directions so that the film of inkdistributed thereover will not be interrupted at any time during the inkapplying period.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide improved inkingmechanism comprising 5 a novel combination of an ink distributing platefor the purpose of adapting the inking mechanism more especially for usein connec tion with such forms which require an exceptionally heavy andyet even application of ink.

Still further objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and appended claims.v

, The invention is diagrammatically illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 shows the position of the cooperating parts at that time of theprinting cycle when a film of ink is conveyed from the ink distributingunit to the form on the bed of the press during the non-printing strokeof the bed, i. e. when it returns from its preceding printing stroke;

Figure 2 shows the relative position of the parts during the impressioni. e. printing stroke of the bed; and

Figure 8 illustrates a modified arrangement of the parts as will behereinafter described.

It is understood that motion is imparted to the various parts of theinking mechanism in accordance with the usual practice in theconstruction of printing presses.

The type bed 10, which carries the form or type matter from whichimpressions are to be taken, is reciprocated in a'known manner to andfro beneath the impression cylinder 11: The particular type of printingpress in connection with which the invention is illustrated merely byway of example, is a tworevolution press wherein the impression cylinderconstantly rotates in one direction and performs two revolutions forevery impression cycle of the press. I

The ink is stored in an ink fountain 12 of usual construction andcomprises a fountain roller 13 from which ink is intermittentlytransferred to the ink distributing drum 1% by means of a ductor roller15. In order to distribute the ink over the drum 1 1, one or more riderrollers 16 are arranged in contact with said drum. The latter ispreferably vibrated longitudinally of its axis to assure the bestpossible distribution of ink thereon.

The film of ink distributed over the surface of the drum 14 istransferred to the form roller unit by means of a ductor roller 17 whichremains in constant contact with the surface of the drum 1 1 butoscillates over said drum to intermittently apply a thin film of ink tothe intermediate roller or distributing drum 18, which, according tothe'particular form of construction shown, is a metal roller.

The form roller unit also comprises a rider roller 19 which cooperateswith the intermediate roller or drum 18 to convey the ink therefrom to asteel vibrator roller 20. The latter contacts with the form rollers 21and 22, which preferably have difierent diameters, and owing to thelateral vibratory motion of the roller the ink will be subjected to afinal distribution before it reaches the printing form.

In order to assure the best possible distribution of ink before itreaches the form rollers 21 and 22, two additional rider rollers 23 and24 may be provided to cooperate with the rider roller-19 and vibratorroller 20.

For the purpose of more especially at apting the herein described inkingmechanism in connection with such forms which require an exceptionallyheavy and yet evenly distributed supply of ink, I provide an inkdistributing table or plate 25 which receives a supply of ink from thedrum 14 by means of an additional ductor roller 26.

According to the preferred construction shownin Figures 1 and 2, theductor roller 26 is arranged to oscillate over the surface of the drum14 and maintains constant contact therewith. It is of advantage toimpart to the roller 26 the same motion as to the ductor roller 17, sothat a supply of ink will be transferred from the drum 14 to the plate25 at the same time when the ductor roller 17 conveys a film of ink fromthe ink distributing unit to the form roller unit. In the arrangementshown in Figures 1 and 2 the ductor rollers 17 and 26 constantly rotatein one direction as indicated by the arrows, and

therefore it is necessary that in this particular case the ductor roller26 deposits a film of ink on the plate 25 during the non-printing orreturn stroke of the bed 10.

However, it will be readily understood that the ductor rollers 17' and26 could be arranged to transmit ink alternately, or in any desiredsequence, to the drum 14 and plate 25 respectively, without departingfrom the spirit of my invention, such alternative arrangement beingindicated in Figure 3. In this modified arrangement, it will of coursebe necessary to arrange the ductor roller 26 so that it will contactwith the plate 25 and supply ink thereto during the impression stroke ofthe bed, at which time the ductor 26 would have to be tripped from thedrum 14.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that with theprevailing arrangement, a film of ink is transferred from the drum 14and applied to the form on the bed 10 during the return stroke of thebed, i. e. when the bed moves away from the cylinder 11. At the sametime the ductor roller 26 conveys a supply of ink from the drum 14 tothe plate 25. When the ductor 26 reaches the edge 27 adjacent the gap28, provided between the plate 25 and'the bed 10, it is tripped and willremain in a tripped i. e. raised position until the form again returnsduring the next impression cycle of the press During the impressionstroke of the bed 10, the ductor rollers 17 and 26 will be in theposition shown in Figure 2 and any ink that remains stored in the formroller unit, after the bed had reached the end of its non-impressionstroke, will then be applied to the form. On the other hand, as the formrollers 21 and 22 pass over the plate 25, they will take up the ink thatwas previously applied to said plate by the ductor roller 26 and storeit in the form roller unit. During the impression stroke of the bed, theink from the plate 25 stored in the form roller unit, as explained, willbe deposited onto the form in addition to the ink transmitted from thedrum 14 by the ductor roller 17.

In the particular arrangement shown for the purpose of illustrating myinvention, the distributing drum 14, which constantly rotates in onedirection, makes four revolutions during every impression stroke of thepress and rotates at press speed, that is to say, at the surface speedof the impression cylinder. It will of course be readily understood thatany other suitable ratio of the number of revolutions made by the drum14 per impression stroke of the press may be adopted with out departingfrom the principle of the invention.

I claim:

1. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, the combinationof ink distributing roller mechanism, form roller mechanism, an inkdistributing plate, and means for conveying ink from said distributingroller mechanism to said form roller mechanism and to said plate.

2. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, the combinationof ink distributing roller mechanism, form roller mechanism, an inkdistributing plate, and means in constant contact with said distributingroller mechanism for conveying ink from the latter to said form rollermechanism and to said distributing plate.

3. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, the combinationof ink distributing roller mechanism, form roller mechanism, an inkdistributing plate, and

means in constant contact with said ink distributin g roller mechanism,and having intermittent contact with said form roller mechanism and saidplate for conveying ink thereto.

4. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, the combinationof an ink fountain, ink distributing roller mechanism, means forconveying ink from said ink fountain to said distributing rollermechanism, form roller mechanism, an ink distributing plate, and meansin constant contact with said ink distributing roller mechanism toconvey ink from the latter to said form roller mechanism and to saidplate.

5. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, the combinationof an ink fountain, ink distributing roller mechanism comprising aconstantly rotating metal drum,

means for conveying ink from said ink fountain to said ink distributingroller mechanism, form roller mechanism, an ink distributing plate, andmeans in constant contact with said ink distributing roller mechanism toconvey ink from the latter to said form roller mechanism and to saidplate.

6. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, the combinationof an ink fountain, an ink distributing drum, means for conveying inkfrom said ink fountain to sald distributing drum, form roller mechanism,an ink distributing plate, and means in constant contact with said inkdistributing drum to convey ink to said form roller mechanism and tosaid plate.

7. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, the combinationof an ink fountain, an ink distributing drum constantly rotating in onedirection, means for conveying ink from said ink fountain to saiddistributing drum, form roller mechanism, an ink distributing plate, andmeans in constant contact with said ink distributing drum to convey inkto said form roller mechanism and to said plate.

8. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, the combinationof an ink fountain, an ink distributing drum constantly rotating in onedirection, and making one or more revolutions during every printingcycle of the printing press, means for conveying ink from said inkfountain to said distributing drum, form roller mechanism, an inkdistributing plate, and means in constant contact with said inkdistributing drum to convey inkto said form roller mechanism and to saidplate.

9. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, the.combination of an ink fountain, an ink distributing drum constantlyrotating in one direction, means for conveying ink from sald inkfountain to said.

distributing drum, form roller mechanism, an ink distributing plate, andmeans in constant contact with said ink distributing drum to convey inkto said form roller mechanism and to said plate, said ink distributingdrum making one or more revolutions from the time it receives a supplyof ink from said ink fountain until said supply is transferred from saiddrum to the form roller mechanism and to said plate.

10. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, thecombination of an ink fountain,.an ink distributing drum constantlyrotating in one direction, means for conveying ink from said inkfountain to said distributing drum, form roller mechanism, an inkdistributing plate, a form carrying member, and means in constantcontact with said distributing drum to convey ink to said form rollermechanism and to said plate during the non-impression stroke of saidform carrying member.

11. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, thecombination of an ink fountain, an ink distributing drum, means forconveying ink from said ink fountain to said ink distributing drum, oneor more rideirollers cooperating with said distributing drum, formroller mechanism, an ink distributing plate, and ductor rollers inconstant contact with said distributing drum to convey ink from thelatter to said form roller mechanism and to said plate, saiddistributing drum, rider rollers and ductor rollers rotating constantlyin one direction.

12. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, thecombination of ink distributing roller mechanism including an inkdistributing drum, form roller mechanism, an ink distributing plate, andtwo ductor rollers in constant contact with said drum and operating inunison to convey inl': from said drum to said form roller mechanism andto said plate.

13. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, thecombination of ink distributing roller mechanism, form roller mechanism,an ink distributing plate, and means for alternately conveying ink fromsaid distributing roller mechanism to said form roller mechanism and tosaid plate.

14:. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, thecombination of ink distributing roller mechanism including an inkdistributing drum, form roller mechanism, an ink distributing plate andtwo ductor rollers operating to alternately convey ink from said drum tosaid form roller mechanism and to said plate.

15. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, thecombination of an ink distributing roller mechanism comprising a drumconstantly rotating in one direction, form roller mechanism including adrum having alternate rotation, an ink distributing plate, and means forconveying ink'from said distributing roller mechanism to said drum ofthe form roller mechanism and to said distributing plate.

16. In inking mechanism for printing presses or the like, thecombination of ink distributing roller mechanism, form 'IOllCZ'mechanism including a plurality of form rollers of different diameter,an ink distributing plate, and means for conveying ink from saiddistributing roller mechanism to said form rollers and to said plate.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 8th day of July, 1929.

EDWARD F. DUDLEY.

